Artificial christmas tree.



c. a. MILLER;

ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE.

APPL|CATION FILED APR. 10. 1911.

M J an. 8, 1918.

' i ES G. KILLER, 6F LEE, MASSACHUSETTS.

.TIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE.

Specification of letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, i918..

' Application filed April 10, 1917. Serial no. 161,007.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES a citizen of the. United States. and resident of Lee, in the county of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certaln new I and useful Improvements in "Artificial ChristmasTrees, of which the followmg 1s a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful makes thetree very attractive for display purposes.

Another object of the invention is r'o-' vide a device of this character who is easily and simply constructed, inexpensive to manufacture, and one WhlCh will be very eiiicient in operation.

With these and numerous other objects in view my invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be herein referred to and moreparticularly pointed out in the specification and claim.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figu artificial tree, and

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same;

In describing my invention I shall refer to the drawing in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The numeral l' designates a base. or'support for the tree,

' tosupport a plurality of'decorations. The base 1 is provided with means including an onwhich. is mounted a stationary outer frame designated in its entirety by the numeral 2, that is adapted to receive a plurality of either artificial ornatural branches, and a rotary inner. frame 3, that is adapted upright shaft 4, upon which the inner frame ismounted, and said shaft being revolved to rotate the inner frame within the outer frame to present a very attractive appearance to the tree. J

The base 1 is formed in two portions the base or support proper 5 being adapted to rest on the ground, while spacedvertically therefrom is an upper top 6'upon which'the enter stationary frame 1s positioned. The

top 6 is a plate of any desired configuration,

G. MILLER,

re 1 is a vertical section through the preferably circular, and the same is connected with the bottom 5 by a plurality of supporting legs 7.

The stationary frame 2,-that is the outer frame of the device, comprises 'a plurality [of spaced standards 8 that have their lower ends mounted in the top 6 of the base 1, in spaced relatlon adjacent thev marginal edge thereof. The standards are circumferenas I tially spaced around the top, and each of the'standards. is provided with a plurality of apertures 9 therein, adapted to receive the inner ends of either natural or artificial branches 10, so as to give the device the appearance of a natural tree. The standards 8 are inclined inwardly, and the branches are preferably so arranged, as to slope corresponding-1y to give the appearance of a conventional type of Ghristmas' tree, as

clearly shown in Fig.- 1 .of the drawing.

The upper ends of the standards 8 are con-- nected by a top plate 11, that will securely hold them in position. j

Mounted in the base 1 is the rotatable upright shaft 4, which has its lower end provided with a projecting pini12 that is adapted tobe received in a glass bearing 13 countersunk centrally in the upper surface of the bottom 5 (if said base. The shaft 4 projects upwardly through the'top 6, and the top plate 11 of the outer frame 2, 'alining openings being provided in these parts for the same. A spring motor, preferablyaclock work thatis designated by the numeral 14 is positioned iinsaid base, and the projecting pinion 15 thereof is adapted 'to intermesh with a driving gear 16' carried bythe shaft 4. By this meansnpon the operation of the spring motor,-the shaft 4 will be rotated accordinglyif .desired however the motor may be eliminated,- and any other desired type of driving means may be employed to rotate the shaft 4. The inner decoration supporting frame 3 comprises a plurality of spaced partitions 17, that are preferably star-shaped, and which are secured in longitudinal] spaced relation on the shaft 4 within 1; e outer frame 2. These partitions 17 are connected by stays '18 secured therethr'ougli adjacent the points of the stars, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The stays 18 are adapted to receive any type of decorations as may be deslred, the decorations being designated thereon by the numeral 19.

la operation when e various parts of shaft 4 will be rotated, and consequently the inner decoration supporting frame that is carried thereb will be revolved within the outerfra'me. hhe outer frameis decorated with natural or artificial branches'so as to give the device the appearance of an ordinary tree, and the revolving decoration holding inner frame therein will greatly add to the attractiveness of a device of this char-'.

acter. The artificial tree is especially adapted for display purposes, wherein the revoluble inner frame may be provided with lights that will shine through the branches carried by the stationary outer frame. The projecting ends of the rotatable shaft 4 that extends from the top 11 is also provided with a plurality of branches thereon so as to conform to the shape of the type of tree which the device is supposed to'represent.

It will be understood that while in the accompanying drawing thestandards of the stationary frame are provided with a plurality of apertures to receive the ends of the branches, if desired any other fastening means may be employed to accomplish this purpose. Also the decorations 19 may be secured to the stays in any manner, and they may he attached to any part of the rotating inner frame as desired, The glass hearing in the lease 1 allows the shaft 4: to

rotate freely and as has been hereinbefore stated thedriving means of this shaft need not necessarily be the clock work mechanism as-shown in the accompanying drawing, as any other available means may be employed.

From the foregoing description of the con-- struction and operation of my artificial Chrlstma's tree, t e manner of applying the sameto use and the operation thereof will be readily understood, and it will be seen that I have provided a simple and 'efiicicnt' means for carrying out the objects of this invention. I Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and. desire to secure by Letters Patent is: A device of the class-described comprising a base, a stationar outer frame including a plurality of space branch supporting standards carried by said base, anupright shaft having itslower end rotatably mounted in the base and extending upwardly through the outer frame, a plurality of longitudinally extending spaced partitions on said shaft within the outer frame, spaced stays extending through said partitions adjacent the marginal edges thereof and adapted to receive decorations thereon, and means carried hy the base for rotating said upright shaft In testony whereof, I afix my signature hereto.

CHARLES G, ILLER. 

